Mohammed. In all
my life I have never heard of a single immoral Darwish. Some of them
are very intelligent and well educated and familiar with all their
religious rites. On the other hand they are very superstitious,
fanatical and ambitious to propagate their religion, believing it to be
a true religion. They are free to discuss their faith with all men in a
kind spirit. In a discussion with one of them he could not answer me
but proposed that we prove the truth of our religion by both entering a
burning fire, and the one who came out unharmed would have the true
religion. I told him to enter the fire and if he was not burned I would
believe in his religion and become a Mohammedan. He did not dare do it
and was ashamed.

THE NATURE OF THEIR SERVICE.

The darwishes' work is to tell stories, tales and traditions during
week days in the streets. Friday is holy day among Mohammedans and is
to be observed in worshiping God. The darwishes begin at one o'clock
P.M. on that day singing poems on the streets and continue until
evening. Their poems are for the glory and honor of Mohammed and Ali,
for they believe these two men were the supreme creation of God. One of
their poems reads as follows:

"The first of creatures is Ali; the supreme of beings is Ali; the true
calif of the prophet all is Ali; the lord of all the world is Ali; the
lord of my soul is Ali."

The darwishes wear long hair, and a pointed orange shape cap, a cloak
of patch work and a long white robe and in his right hand a tomahawk
with a fancy handle with some poems written on the blade. In the other
hand is held a kashkul for the collection of money. These are the
rituals of his office. A dozen or more of them may be seen on every
street, not far from each other, standing in front of the stores
singing some poems for the praise of Ali in a loud voice, and with an
earnest and enthusiastic spirit. Then he will pass his kashkul and the
shopman will drop in it from one to three pennies and sometimes only a
bit of sugar or ginger. Any gift is acceptable. One passing in the
streets hears voices of base, tenor, etc, some rough, some clear as the
sound of a bell of gold making an attractive melody. Sometimes they
sing two by two, one for the praise of Mohammed, the other for the
praise of Ali. Once I heard a darwish singing a poem to the praise of
Ali, and when he had finished another responded near by singing to the
praise of Mohammed in the following words: "H